Therapeutic hair drier



p 1942- M. N. BATSEL 2,295,824

THERAPEUTIC HAIR DRIER Filed Dec. 3, 1940 INVENTOR: .MARYM BA r551.

ATTORNEYS;

Patented Sept. 15, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE maarau'rro mint Damn Mary N. Batsel, North Hollywood, Calif. Application December 3, 1940, Serial No. 368,341

4 Claims. (Cl. 34-99) This invention relates to beauty parlor apparatus and particularly to an electric hair drier adapted to operate as a single unit or as a unit of a multiple system.

Hair driers of the type wherein a hood is placed over the user's head and a stream of air, which is preheated, is either drawn or blown into the hood over the hair, are well known in the art. Single units employing fans for blowing the air past an electrical heating unit as well as multiple units attached to a vacuum or blower system are also well known. In all these present types of driers, however, the person whose hair is being dried is subjected to a rapidly moving stream of air which has a tendency to cause headaches, which may temporarily ailect the hearing, or to produce soreness of muscles and head colds. That is, even though the air is preheated before reaching the head, these deleterious effects are still produced. In any event, the driers are noisy and are hard on the eyes and nerves.

The present invention, therefore, is directed to a hair drier which utilizes radiant energy or light radiations to produce the drying, the invention utilizing a slow-moving body of air over the hair solely for the purpose of carrying away any water vapor may be generated by the drying process.

' This method of drying eliminates strong air streams about the head and, instead of discomfort and possible injuries now attendant the use of present-day driers, actually induces relaxation which will relieve headaches and muscle soreness, and is actually beneficial in the relief of colds.

It is well known that certain radiations will dry material by evaporation much faster and better than warm or hot air blown over the surface of the material being dried. These radiations are the long wave lengths of light or infra-reds and near-reds of the light spectrum having a penetrating property which accelerates drying. These rays also have a soothing eilect on the skin and thereby induce relaxation and comfort when moderately applied. These radiations may also include a small amount of ultra-violet light. such as that produced by a standard therapeutic bulb which is beneficial in the treatment of colds and of the scalp.

The principal object of the invention, therefore, is to facilitate the drying of hair.

Another object of the invention is without utilizing a stream of hot air over the head.

A further object o! the invention is to dry hair by the use of radiant energy or light radiations.

A further obiect of the invention is to simul- 55 ductors 2| and.

to dry hair Although the novel features which are believed to be characteristic of this invention are pointed out with particularity in the appending claims, the manner of its organization and the mode of its operation will be better understood by referring to the following description read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing forming a part thereof, in which Fig. 1 is a side view partially drier embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a front view partly in section of the unit shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a detailed view of a modification of the hood of the invention.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 2, a hood 5 constructed 01' metal, such as aluminum or other similar material, is shaped to surround the head of the person whose hair is being dried. The opening for the head may be just. large enough to contact the hair or may be larger so that the head may be turned without contacting the hood. The hood has an inner shell 6 and an outer shell I, the lower edge of the outer shell being curved inwardly and reversed upon itself at 8 to provide an annular opening 9 between the two shells for directing air over the head. At the upper portion of the hood a motor i2 is provided for rotating fan blades i3 for either drawing air through the serrated grating II and directing it between the shells 6 and 1, or vice versa. Openings or conduits through both shells are shown at l6 and I! for permitting egress of the air within in section of a 7 the hood. Thus, as shown by the arrows in Fig.

1, the air passes between the two shells 6 andl, out through the annular opening 9, past the hair, and out through openings I6 and H. II the tan is reversed, the air takes the reverse path. The fan is rotated slowly so that only a slight movement of the air is obtained since it is only required to remove the water vapor which may surround the hair.

Positioned at approximately 90 with respect to one another, are hollow projections 20 and 2| which house drying lamps, one being shown at 22, the interior of the housings being preferably silvered to be reflective. These lamps are mounted upon screws, such as 23, turnable by knurled rings 2i and 25 for adjusting the lamps within their housings. By this adjustment the lamps may be positioned in accordance with the position of the hair of the user. The lamps are, or course, connected to an electric power supply by con- The lamps used at 22 are, as mentioned above, of the heat-producing type emanating rays predominantly in the infra-red region or the light spectrum, although lamps providing mild ultraviolet radiations or a combination or both may also be employed. Standard light bulbs may also be used, although standard lamps do not have the drying or therapeutic eiiiciency oi the former type. The rays from these lamps are directed to the patient's hair and willpenetrate to the roots or and throughout the hair as well as to the scalp to promote drying. The slight moisture rising from the hair will be removed by the air slowly passing over the hair. Although there has been illustrated a self-contained unit, it is to be understood that the hood may be attached to a multiple drier, thus eliminating the motor and fan [3.

Referring to the detailed drawing in Fig. 3, a similar hood as that shown in Figs. 1 and 2 has been slightly modified to provide asecond opening 30 in the central portion of the inner shell 6 in addition to the regular opening 9. In this manner a larger amount oi. air may be moved over the head with less movement, which facilitates the removal of water vapor. In this modification, the movement of the air may also be reversed if the user so desires. Since the lamp housings pass through the inner and outer shells, and the housings are heated by the lamps, the air will also be heated as it passes between the shells.

This radiant energy type of hair drier has the advantage of providing more freedom for the patient, inasmuch as it is not necessary that the hood tightly contact the hair or head. Secondly, the hair is not dried by the blowing of air over the head, but by light radiations which not only promote a more complete and faster drying, but which have a therapeutic value as well. Third, although a slight movement of air is desirable for the removal of moisture-laden air, the movement of this air may be made so slight that it is not noticeable. Such a slight movement of the air is also not detrimental to the physical wellbeing of the user, the unit being substantially noiseless. Another advantage of the new hair drier is that the rays used may destroy certain bacteria in the hair or on the scalp as well as open the pores and permit any particular medicant previously applied to penetrate to the roots of the hair.

What I claim as my invention is: V

1. Apparatus of the class described comprising s,aos,sas

a hood having an inner and outer shell. the shell being substantially parallel to said sheilandhavingacurvedflangeatthe edge thereof iorming an stantially in the plane of the lower edge portion of said inner shell, means for forcing air between said shells and through said opening, other openings for passing air transversely through said shells. a plurality of tubular projections attached to and extending through said shells, and a lamp in each 01 said tubular projections adapted to radiate rays into the opening formed by said inner shell, said air passing over a portion of said tubular projections as it circulates between said shells. a,

2. A hair drier comprising an inner shell and a parallel-arranged outer shell, said shells having a hood shape, said outer shell being curved inwardly adjacent the lower edge of said inner shell to form an annularopening, a plurality oi conduits connecting said outer shell and said inner shell, means for moving air between said shells, through said annular opening and through said conduits, and means for supporting a plurality of lamps for irradiating into the space within said inner shell, said last-mentioned means including a plurality of tubular projections attached to and extending through said shells, said lamps being mounted within said projections.

3. A hair drier comprising a substantially semispherical shell, 9. second shell spaced from and positioned substantially parallel to said first shell, said second shell having a curved flange extending inwardly and ending adjacent the edge of said first shell to form an annular opening therebetween, a hollow conduit connecting said shells, means for forcing air between said shells, through said annular opening and through said conduit, a plurality of conical-shaped hollow members connecting said shells and extending externally of said second shell, a lamp adjustably mounted in each of said conical members adapted to ii'radiate the area defined within said first shell when adjusted within said conical members, and means adjacent the small end of said conical members for varying the intensity of irradiation reaching the area within said first shell.

4. A hair drier in accordance with claim 3 in which a portion of said air passing between said shells contacts a portion of the outer surface of each 01 said conical-shaped members for heating said air before reaching the area within said first shell.

iii

MARY N. BATSEL.

annular opening snb- 

